Finally finished, Ji Hyun stepped back to admire their handiwork. Before her and Micah were several blankets spread out in the shadow of a large tree near to the lake, with several hampers worth of food arranged in the middle, along with drinks, plates, cups, and everything that they might need for a picnic. And a basket containing a variety of flower crowns for everyone to wear, because it was summer and they were fun! Ji Hyun would understand if people didn’t want to wear them, but she hoped everyone would. She was already wearing her own.

Although she wasn’t actually seventeen yet, her birthday was next week and with the final task the next weekend, Ji Hyun thought it was better to have it on the Sunday before. It was probably childish, to want a picnic when she was coming of age (for the wizards, if not the muggles) but she didn’t really want a party-party. They just made her feel uncomfortable, and it seemed silly this close to the exam. And everyone loved food! Especially Micah. And if they had a picnic, it would give them a chance to have a relaxing break from studying, and enjoy sharing a meal together in the sunshine now that the weather was taking a turn for the better. If anything, the weather was a little on the warm side, but if they stayed in the shade and drank lots of water everything should be fine.

Not that they had much water, most of the drinks that she had struggled to get to the picnic were non-water. Hopefully people would be okay with that. She felt bad about how much they’d asked the house elves to do anyway, even though she’d warned them in advance and they had tried to keep things small, but they kept coming up with different things people might want and even after they’d shortened the list, it had still been very long.

The house elves had still produced everything they’d requested, and some other things they hadn’t, and the food arranged on the blankets looked really good. Even though Zel could probably eat cheese toasties constantly if he had the opportunity, and her other friends also ate lots, she really thought that they might have too much to finish. But that was better than running out, and if there were a few extra people then they wouldn’t have to worry about that either.

“Is it bad if we start now?” Ji Hyun asked Micah, looking decidedly hopeful that it wouldn’t be. They’d just carried all of the food here, admittedly using charms, but it was still hot and they’d had to make several trips, and then lay it all out on the blankets, and she wanted to have a cold drink and some food. “Maybe we should wait for someone? Look, there are people coming!” Although she’d claimed weariness and may have flopped in the grass for a few moments when they’d finally brought all of the baskets to their chosen spot, she was now bouncing on the spot and waving enthusiastically at the people who were coming over from the castle.

---

If I have missed any of Ji Hyun's friends out, please feel free to join!

It was Ji-Hyun’s birthday! To celebrate, Zel put on one of his favourite shirts and asked a house elf so very politely for some cheese toasties from the kitchen. Pokey the house elf was more than happy to oblige. Some would say that she was a bit overenthusiastic about it all. Zel was glad for it, as she even put a little candle in the middle of one of the sandwiches for this very special occasion.

The Hufflepuff was rather fond of making gifts for his friends, especially considering that he didn’t exactly have the money to buy them anything fancy. So, his gift to Ji-Hyun, along with the cheese toasties, was a string bracelet, clumsily wrapped in an old page of the Daily Prophet.  He knew it wouldn’t be as nice as some of the other gifts her friends would get her, but he thought she’d appreciate it all the same.

He finally arrived at the picnic, only to see that Micah and Ji-Hyun already had the food situation handled. Zelig hung his head in shame, ears taking a rather red tint. “I, uh… Brought food..?” He said hesitantly, setting the sandwiches down next to another plate of sandwiches. There was a lot of food. An overabundance, even.  But Zel was trying to gain weight so he could probably eat a ridiculous share.

Zel cleared his throat. “Everything looks great—oh!” He pulled his tiny,poorly wrapped gift out of his pocket and held it out to the birthday girl. “Happy Birthday, Ji-Hyun!”

It seemed like there was a whole rush of birthdays near the end of the school year – first Val's, then Micah's, and finally Ji Hyun's at the end of May! In Valerie's mind, that was definitely a good thing. The end of term could be murder with all of the exams and due dates, and having a few special days to look forward to helped keep her from getting overwhelmed by all of the hard work she had to do in between. By the end of term nearly all of her mates would be officially of-age in the wizarding world, which meant they'd somehow all survived six years of tumultuous, rigorous, challenging, but ultimately fulfilling magical schooling. They were witches and wizards! They'd done it! Only one year of school would stand between the students and their futures, and while the thought alone made Valerie's stomach churn with nervous excitement, she knew that a year was a very long time – and they still had a whole summer ahead of them. Today, however, they were celebrating their sweet friend. She'd been told to come hungry, and she'd obeyed.

She made her way down to the grounds, her gait a gentle trot. She was quick to spot her mates, because, from a distance, the spread of colorful blankets atop the green grass of early summer looked incredibly festive, even in the shade, and would have been difficult to miss. Someone with less self control may have chosen to run the rest of the way, but Val continued to amble along quite merrily, a big, static smile of excitement on her face.

Given that this was a party, she'd slung her guitar over her shoulder, and it bump, bump, bumped up against her back as she crossed the remaining distance. You never knew when there might be a need for a musical interlude – not to mention that she was feeling fairly guilty that she didn't have a proper gift for her friend. It wasn't that she was stingy about the little spending money she had – she was simply nervous that, should something come up, she'd regret buying something just so she'd have something to give. If she was going to get a gift, she'd want it to be meaningful, and she had yet to find something meaningful that was also in her price range. She was working on a little living gift to present to her on her actual birthday (much like she'd done on Micah's a few weeks earlier), but she wanted to give the flowers the weekend to bloom to their potential. When she arrived at the picnic, she was glad she hadn't transferred them early – it seemed like Ji Hyun had flowers to spare!

“Why, look at you!” she exclaimed brightly once she'd officially arrived, making haste to set her instrument down beside the tree so that she could come marvel at the birthday girl's crown. Pulling the strap over her head, Val shook out her long mane of wavy hair and wasted no time getting cozy around the truly massive selection of food that had been accumulated – 'come hungry,' indeed! “It's a beautiful day for a birthday,” she remarked as she took her seat, but then looked down at her shoes, and at the nice blanket that had been set down, and a sheepish look passed over her face for a moment. “Should I take my trainers off, then?”

Better late than never?!

Verity was ecstatic when Ji-Hyun announced her early birthday picnic, as she doubted her ability to keep the golden yellow Pygmy Puff she had begun to fondly refer to as Bogey-Licker safe from her cutthroat cat, Beauregard. Soon, he would be in her friend's more capable hands. She had seen the little puffball in Hogsmeade and hoped that Ji-Hyun would love the adorable creature.

As she made her way towards the lake, holding the squirming ball of fluff conspiratorially behind her back, she beamed when she saw all of the blankets and food. Especially the food. She saw Ji-Hyun waving excitedly and chuckles and runs the rest of the way to her friend.

"Happy early birthday!" Verity greeted Ji-Hyun, and held out the Pygmy Puff, who had a little red bow on top of it's head/body. "This picnic looks tidy. You and Micah did a great job with getting everything set up. And I have to ask, are there more of those flower crowns? Because it is super cute."

With a palpable air of satisfaction – and a nervous kind of energy that had him eyeing the food rather wistfully – Micah surveyed the blankets set out around them, hands tucked into his pockets the only thing (-well, kinda) keeping him from bouncing out of his skin like his best friend.

They’d begun rather early, eager to get things underway so they could start on time. Micah, who’d helped cast a poll amongst their friends as to what they liked days before, found himself going over the list one more time with Ji-Hyun and the house elves before finalizing it and then waiting, which had been its own source of anxiety even if the kitchen staff obviously had everything taken care of better than two human teenagers ever could, because all that had left was setting up. And they couldn’t really start that until the amount of food had been made clear.

And it was a good thing they had, because soon enough it’d been really clear how much (more) food had been made. They had things like Bottomless baskets to help contain it all – and the levitation charm to move them – but they still had to make trips, and there had been enough to wind the both of them a little. Hogwarts was, after all, a big place.

It all worked out in the end, though; the baskets were emptied of everything except dessert and the plates were set, now only waiting to be filled rather than put in place. Now, as Ji-Hyun looked hopeful about the food (something he was really tempted to join her in), Micah was a few yards away, carefully putting seeds into the ground and sprouting bushes with waves of his wand.[1] Although it didn’t look like their clear and sunny weather was about to change anytime soon, and he knew they very much appreciated that, he also knew that some shade would also be nice, and what better kind was there than leaf-filtered sunlight? And so, after gaining the groundskeeper’s approval beforehand (with the promise of putting things to rights afterwards, or finding someplace else to put them), small trees and strategically grown shrubs vaguely lined the perimeter, against the sun.

He was just growing the last one (and, of course, checking its leaves (he was good at the growth charm but there was still a chance of browning if he rushed) when the first of their guests arrived—their very good friend Zel. Micah’s cheeks pinked, because there was a flower crown on his head and, well. He couldn’t help but feel a little silly, although it was a feeling largely assuaged (if somewhat brought upon) by a desire not to disappoint Ji-Hyun.

By the time he got off his knees, there were three guests rather than one—Valerie and… Verity. Oh man. He felt the (admittedly light) weight of the crown even more, now. But there was nothing else to do except go over and greet them, and anyway, all his very best friends were already present, which helped. “Gifts go there,” he murmured to Zel, nodding at the base of the tree where his own gift lay, and winced jokingly at the bit of dirt brought over by Valerie—grinning, cheerful, if it got him a friendly punch on the arm.

At the mention of his name, he turned to Verity then, where she congratulated them on the setup and asked for a crown of her own. Tapping her on the shoulder, he slid one off his wrist, where more hung after he picked them up, and held one out for her to take, grinning ever so slightly. His knees were brown with dirt, though his shirt remained, miraculously, spotlessly earthy green.

1.	Herbivicus Charm

A picnic and a birthday! Ariadne was a tad jealous - she would celebrate her birthday during the summer holidays when people weren't around to celebrate. Though this summer, that might be different if she was away.

Greeting the others warmly, she too laid her little gift for Ji Hyun on the pile, it was a matching necklace and bracelet set that she had spotted over Easter and purchased, hoping they would suit. She was always a little tentative on buying presents for people in case they were not well received, but in this case she had closed her eyes and imagined her classmate wearing them and they seemed her sort of thing.

The food looked delicious, and the picnic blankets were very cute. Ariadne's arm gestures conveyed her excitement along with the enormous grin on her face.

"Fantastic!" She held out her arms to Ji Hyun to wish her happy birthday with a hug, and then saw the pygmy puff and cooed,
"Oh goodness!"

Raine spotted the party from a distance, making her way towards the lake with Maurice trailing behind like a second shadow.

It was exceptional weather for being outdoors and, without a doubt, ideal for Ji-Hyun's birthday picnic. Still - she was relieved to finally reach the neatly laid blankets and conclave of plants that gave respite from the sun in her eyes. There was such a thing as too much good weather, thought the redhead as she adjusted her primrose yellow crown. Val and Ariadne were already here, as well as Zel of course. That made it easier.

"Happy birthday~" Raine offered the girl of the hour, dropping her gift[1] on the growing pile of presents. "And many happy returns. You look absolutely stunning," she smiled widely before glancing at the Hufflepuff green thumb. "Lovely greenery."

The scene was set immaculately. Positively arcadian, in fact. Raine flashed Jeun another quick smile and meandered over to Zel, drawn by his choice in t-shirt. Maurice remained behind, standing guard at the present pile like a faithful retriever.

1.	A satirical book entitled "So You're Legally an Adult Now", filled with terribly dirty limericks and mock advice on wizarding etiquette.

The first arrival was a most welcome one, especially when she saw what he was carrying with him. “Cheese toasties!” Ji Hyun agreed, delightedly. She might not be as enthusiastic about them as Zel, but they were definitely one of her favourite foods and they made a lovely addition to the picnic. She was about to hug him when he held out a second present, and she took it before wrapping her arms around him, “Thank you so much.”

She’d just stepped back when Val and Verity arrived, nearly simultaneously, and she smiled and blushed at the compliment. “You look lovely,” she insisted, not concerned about the mud at all. It wasn’t like it was on the food, and they were outside so of course there would be little dirt. And a pygmy puff! It was adorable, and she reached for it with cupped hands, her smile widening when it moved into her palms, “yes, there are loads! They’re in a basket over – oh,” the arm which had been moving to point it out fell as Micah stepped forwards, clearly a step ahead of her. “Micah has the rest,” she said instead. She wanted to offer a hug, but with the pygmy puff in her hands, it wasn’t possible just yet. “Does the pygmy puff have a name?” She asked, stroking it gently.

“Verity gave… her? To me,” Ji Hyun informed Ariadne, “do you want to hold her?” The gathering had grown quickly, and now that there were so many of them, she felt sure that they could start the food. The others were sure to arrive soon, and what was the point of having food they couldn’t eat?

She wasn’t exactly comfortable with public speaking, even for such a short announcement, but the group was entirely friendly, and small enough that she didn’t need to raise her voice, “If you want to start eating, that’s fine!” Announcement made, she stepped back a little, moving to pick up the plates and pass them around to the others.

Verity smiled broadly when the Pygmy Puff moved into Ji-Hyun's outstretched hands, and felt an air of relief when her friend expressed her excitement over the creature. When Micah pointed out where all of the gifts were supposed to go, she laughed in order to hide her embarrassment.

"You know me, I am terrible with surprises. Though it was difficult enough to get that bow on the little guy," she shook her head from the memory. "And I was going to leave the naming to you, otherwise he'd end up being named after some obscure Muggle reference..." Verity didn't want to reveal the rather embarrassing nickname she'd given the Pygmy Puff, and in order to not crush Bogey-Licker, she gave her friend a 'Christian side hug', a term she had learned from a video her da showed her the previous summer.

Turning to face the person who tapped her on her shoulder, she saw Micah wearing one of the flower crowns and holding another out to her, which she shyly accepted and placed on her head. "How do I look?" She inquired, and hoped that the lilt in her speech wasn't obvious.

"That flower crown is very becoming on you, Micah. You look very dapper and masculine," she winked, though the comment was more sincere than in jest, and she was happy to see the quiet boy smiling. Especially in her direction.

As soon as Ji-Hyun announced that everyone could begin their feeding frenzy, Verity's stomach unleashed a bestial roar and she laughed sheepishly, and grinned as the birthday girl handed her a plate.

Phillip was late. So so late. He'd been up studying until the wee hours of the morning, because one did not have Alexandra Carstairs for a girlfriend with the NEWTs right around the corner and simply did not study. Tha'd be pure bobbins. So he was so bloody late. He remembered to owl Lala for a mint bottle design just the week before, so he poured the liquid of his Color Me Wicked potion into the nice bottle, pulled some clothes on, took the time to actually comb his hair, and ran until his newtons started clacking together. Round the bend he pulled a rose from a bush and tied it neatly round the neck o' the bottle, skriking like a nutter when a thorn embedded itself into his finger.

When he eventually reached the clearing, he stopped, leaning forward, hands on his knees to catch his breath and eventually straightened with a crack of his spine. Picnics were a bit Ann Twacky for Phillip, but deaking at the setup he couldn't help think it was just perfect for the wee Hufflepuff. Grinning brightly he threw away his dimp, stepping on it to extinguish the remaining tobacco and walked sneakily to the gathering, right behind Ji Hyun. He placed a finger on his lips to let the other know they shouldn't be making him out yet and when he was right behind the birthday girl, he patted her shoulder with a blinding grin and waited for her to turn.

"Ere ar yo, party lass!" he grinned, leaning down to pull Ji-Hyun to her feet and envelop her into a big, healthy bear-hug, lifting her off the ground and shaking her a few times. After what he deemed enough for the hug, he let her back on the ground and patted her head, messing her hair just a wee bit. "Ar kid, ye look doodey" he declared seeing her pretty dress. He'd celebrate with champagne when he'd see Alex wearing something nice and girly... Probably never. Ever. "This 'ere is for you. Changes yer hair to whatever ye want and lasts until the next washing" he said with a smile, giving her the bottle, careful of the thorns.

"Psst. Yer actual pressie's coming on the actual day" he whispered leaning down, closer to her ear. With another powerful pat on her back and a short hug, he let her go and flopped down ungracefully, picking up a random flower crown to palce on his head. He smiled like an idiot, and lifted his arms into a well, how do I look gesture and gave Gallagher a rough pat on the back in greeting. "And how are ye lovely folks on this mint day?"

Zel hugged Ji-Hyun back, tickled that she appreciated his gifts so much, and she hadn’t even opened the important one yet! Zel suspected that Ji-Hyun would’ve been happy even if Zel had given her a bag of acid pops. He was all ribs and elbows, though—with hardly any meat on him. It couldn’t have been a comfortable hug, but he still appreciated it.

He was pleased to see Raine had showed up at the party, and gave her a gentle smile, nudging her slightly. “I see you brought crazy old Maurice.” The werewolf said fondly. He had a habit of claiming other people’s cats as his own… Maurice and Beauregard included. Although some cats were a bit more apprehensive towards him ever since he became a werewolf, others seemed to have realized that Zel was still the same cat-loving albino as he always had been.

There was still a worry in the back of his mind that he had cuddled with Catcroft on accident before. In fact, Zel was paranoid that every tabby he saw and pet could’ve been Josh. It had been haunting him all month. Zel did have a habit of cuddling with strange felines.

“Like my shirt?” Zel beamed proudly, it seemed like the sort of thing that the redhead would like.

The smell of the food that was laid out, however, incited a rather loud growl from his belly.

Admittedly, Maurice had a far more affectionate and open disposition than his owner, though she would hardly merit him as being 'crazy'. Perhaps it was part of a secret cat language that Zel spoke - which made her very glad to have not yet made his lasting acquaintance in Caracal form. Who knows what zany nickname she might acquire.

"It isn't a party without Maurice," she smiled warmly at her friend while deciding not to mention her other belief; that it isn't a party unless something is on fire. There was still time for that.

Raine eyed the shirt with a hint of theatrical, mock envy. "I'm extremely jealous-" she shook her head (nearly losing the crown) and then laughed out loud at Zel's grumbling stomach. He couldn't be blamed, she supposed. The food looked delicious and they had all come with prepared appetites.

"We'd better feast to quell the beast!" Raine exclaimed, in sudden good humour, and accepted two of the plates being handed around. She passed one to Zel. "Shall we? This good weather is infectious. I haven't eaten yet so I can't blame Gallagher for putting something in the food."

"Verity gave.. her? To me. Do you want to hold her?"
"Aw! Only if you don't mind," Ari replied, looking completely smitten with the little thing that as yet didn't have a name.

The group was rapidly increasing and soon it was time to eat, and put on flower crowns so it seemed. Ari wasn't sure if a pygmy puff could wear a crown but either way it was very cute.

"Hey Phil, did you comb your hair? Blimey, we are honoured."